[sarnobat]

(this question only really applies to pre-attitude era fans)

For years McMahon's only exposure to the average fan was as a commentator and voiceover for montages.

The first on-air acknowledgement of him being an owner was Ross' in-ring semi-shoot interview on Raw in September 1996. And if you missed those few months of Ross attacking him, the next time it really came up on-air was when Bret Hart had a 'shoot' fight with him on air in Edmonton for a Raw episode in July 1997. Then of course the whole Austin thing brought it into daylight.

For those of you who say 'I always knew. Anyone who didn't is just stupid' - PROVE IT. What information did you have to find this out? I first got internet access in 1996 so saying you just read it on the internet somewhere in 1992 doesn't convince me. You'd have to tell me the name of the website/newsletter/documentary that stated it.

 

[I drink and I know things]

(this question only really applies to pre-attitude era fans)

For years McMahon's only exposure to the average fan was as a commentator and voiceover for montages.

The first on-air acknowledgement of him being an owner was Ross' in-ring semi-shoot interview on Raw in September 1996. And if you missed those few months of Ross attacking him, the next time it really came up on-air was when Bret Hart had a 'shoot' fight with him on air in Edmonton for a Raw episode in July 1997. Then of course the whole Austin thing brought it into daylight.

For those of you who say 'I always knew. Anyone who didn't is just stupid' - PROVE IT. What information did you have to find this out? I first got internet access in 1996 so saying you just read it on the internet somewhere in 1992 doesn't convince me. You'd have to tell me the name of the website/newsletter/documentary that stated it.

Not until AOL chat rooms around 96. I knew wrestling was scripted from the minute I started watching it, but didn't know who was in charge. Actually, when I was a kid I thought Jack Tunney decided who won and lost all the matches...

 

[RKO696]

I started watching wrestling when his character was a regular. So i pretty much knew right away

It was around the time when HHH was going to marry Stephanie

 

[soxfan93]

When I was 4, my dad told me haha.

 

[hardcore1982]

Pre-attitude era I thought he was an announcer. Even as a young Teenager I was still thinking the same.
I realized around Survivor Series 1997 and thought to myself "ohh okay he is the boss and he is evil".
We had internet but I were mostly into games forums and chat rooms, no wrestling sides.
I started to read about wrestling in the internet after the Montreal screwjob.

 

[Das Wunderberlyn]

when he was making out with trish, stacy week in week out.

i knew noone would fuck this guy on screen if he's not the owner.. lol.

in 1996.. when bret was making slow turn and always talked trash at him during his matches.

 

[JigsawKrueger]

When he was on Larry King Live in 1992, because of the steroid scandal. But he was pretty well known as the owner before that, only the kids didn't realise.

 

[Len Hughes Presents]

Right from the get go -- overheard my uncles talking about him; no spoiler tags.

 

[aaronk333]

When he was on Larry King Live in 1992, because of the steroid scandal. But he was pretty well known as the owner before that, only the kids didn't realise.

This. Back in 1992-1993 major news networks covered the story and for the first time many kids realized that the announcer was in fact the owner.

Also, back in the mid-80's he appeared with Jon Stossel on a 20/20 special about the wrestling business and he did an interview,

 

[philip3831]

My brother told me when I started watching around 1992. I was surprised wondering why he would be announcing if he were the owner. I hated him as an announcer when I was young but enjoy listening to him when I look back now.

 

[SportsEntertainer]

(this question only really applies to pre-attitude era fans)

For years McMahon's only exposure to the average fan was as a commentator and voiceover for montages.

The first on-air acknowledgement of him being an owner was Ross' in-ring semi-shoot interview on Raw in September 1996.

Diesel acknowledged that Vince was the man in charge on WWF tv in 1995. And during the whole steroid thing, Vince wrote a piece about himself and the company in WWF magazine in 1992, which acknowledged that he was the Chairman or whatever.

And if you missed those few months of Ross attacking him, the next time it really came up on-air was when Bret Hart had a 'shoot' fight with him on air in Edmonton for a Raw episode in July 1997.

It came up during the ECW Invasion in early 1997.

 

[Vic Capri]

A story from A Current Affair about the steroid trial spoiled it for me. I couldn't believe that the announcer was also the owner of the company the whole time! What a real life twist that was!

- Vic

 

[JuviJuiceIsLoose]

I think I was watching a tape of an old Wrestlemania. They were interviewing Sugar Ray Leonard and he thanked Vince McMahon and his whole staff for their hospitality.

For some reason in my head, I believed that even thought Vince was the owner, Jack Tunney was really in charge. I thought that all Vince did was pay the wrestler and was the announcer.

 

[Rated_RKO_2009]

I pretty much figured it out myself after watching the bret hart Wrestling With Shadows when it came on TV back in 1997 i think. After the screwjob I remember JR interviewing Vinny Mac on why he did the screwjob and I thought Vinny Mac is not just a commentator here, he has a far more bigger role in the WWF. So although I was suprised at first, my first thought when I find out was "well, DUHH" lol

 

[sarnobat]

It's good to hear that others had the same humble level of knowledge as I did.

The strange part is - even when people like Ross, Diesel, Freddie Blassie acknowledged him as the chairman or whatever in the early 90s I thought it was just that he was the face/voice of the company (like Michael Cole is now!) and any employees who are unhappy blame him because the 'real' owners were hidden or no one dared talked to them (like Jack Tunney) that way.

I thought he only became owner after Gorilla Mansoon's interim President role 'expired' (later I realized Mansoon was seriously ill). When I read on the internet that he bought the company in 1982 it seemed so inconsistent with all the on-air information.

 

[SamoaJordan]

I think I first came in to wrestling when he was making the transition from announcer to the evil owner figurehead. That being said my dad was a wrestling fan before I ever was, and I asked him 'who's that guy' and he said that it was Vince McMahon and he's the owner of the WWF.

 

[xhc]

My friend told me.

 

[kid A]

I watched since the late 80's and i had no idea he was the owner until the angles years later that he was a part of. All the scandal and whatnot didnt translate to me since in 1992 i was 6 and was more interested in my wrestling buddies at the time.